Cow Buttercream Transfer Cake
Steps involved
Make cake layers
Make buttercream (no color)
Split and color buttercream
Assemble and ice cake
Pipe design onto parchment or acetate sheet
Transfer icing to decorate
Add swirly dollops
READ BEFORE CONTINUING: The following recipes are scaled to make the cake pictured above -- a 4 layer cake made with 6-inch round cake layers. If you wish to make a smaller cake, please scale down these recipes.
recipes used
1 - 1.5 batches Italian meringue buttercream
I made this buttercream vanilla flavored by adding 1 tablespoon of vanilla to my 1.5x batch (can add less or more to taste) *I also added some cocoa powder to the black icing to darken it - more information under the "colors used" section
Cream cheese icing (recipe below)
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
milk, if needed to thin icing
Mix butter and cream cheese together
Add vanilla, mix
Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until all incorporated
If icing is too stiff you can add a splash of milk until it's the consistency you like
Colors used
To get these colors, I used Wilton's Color Right Food Coloring System and Wilton's Gel Icing Color in Black.*
For the icing:
The colors may differ depending on how much icing you're coloring and the starting color of your buttercream (certain butter brands are more white or yellow which can make the buttercream whiter or more yellow). These are the amounts I used and should get you close.
Pink Icing:
Pink: 3 drops
Red: 1 drop
Black Icing:
For information on how I make my black icing, click here.
Supplies/tools
To find the tools I use for almost every cake I make and decorate (including pans, cake boards, icing smoothers, etc.), click here.
The supplies/tools below are specifically for decorating this cake, which I used in addition to the ones in the link above.*
*Some of these links may be affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small amount from some purchases, however, this does not affect my recommendations.
Decorating the cake
After the cake has been assembled and iced:
Store the iced cake in fridge while completing next steps.
Cut a piece of parchment or acetate long enough to wrap around the whole cake (at least 19.5 inches) and tall enough to cover the side of your cake.
Add the black and white colored icing to their own piping bag, with a hole cut in the tip.
Lay your parchment paper or acetate on the counter.
Using the black icing first, pipe blob shapes onto the sheet to be the cow's spots.
Once you've piped all of the cow spots onto the sheet, take your white icing and fill in around the spots until the sheet is covered with icing (leaving a bit on the end so you can pick it up later).
Optional: Once the design is piped, you can gently run an offset spatula over the design to remove some air bubbles and make it an even thickness to help it adhere to the cake evenly.
Check on the cake that has been in the fridge - you want the icing to be firm to the touch before moving forward. Once cake is cold and icing is firm, remove from fridge.
Carefully pick up the parchment or acetate and wrap it around the cake. *This works best if you have a cake turner or a person turning the cake for you as you go.
Use your hands or an icing smoother to smooth the parchment or acetate on the cake, making sure it is flat against the side of the cake--not wrinkled. Keep the parchment paper or acetate wrapped around the cake and place in the fridge until the icing has become firm.
Once firm, peel back a corner of the parchment paper or acetate to make sure the icing stays behind. If the icing comes off with the sheet, stick the cake back in the fridge and allow to cool for a little while longer. If the paper comes of cleanly, take the cake out of the fridge and gently remove the sheet, leaving the icing behind.
Use an offset spatula to remove any icing that may be hanging over the top edge of the cake and clean up the seam of the wrapped icing if necessary.
Using a Wilton 1M piping tip, pipe "swirly dollops" on the top of the cake. I have instructions on how to do that, here.
Slice and enjoy :)
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